DOVER, DE – Sophomore pitcher
Andy Rosenzweig (Glen Rock, Pa./Susquehannock)
threw his first complete game of the 2009 season Thursday to lead
the York College baseball team to a 6-2 Capital Athletic Conference
victory over Wesley. The road triumph improves the Spartans'
season mark to 18-5 (8-3 CAC) while the Wolverines fall to 18-11-1
(7-6 CAC).
After a scoreless Spartan first,
Stu Madden led off Wesley's half of the opening frame with a
superb at-bat. The Wolverines' lead-off man jostled Rosenzweig into
a 3-2 count, fouling off several quality pitches, before punching a
single into center. That hit was erased however when York correctly
called a pitch-out on Madden's attempt to swipe second.
Jimmy Meehan (Mastic, N.Y./Eastport-South Manor
Central) cut down the Wolverines' steals leader to
take the speedy Madden off the base paths. Two harmless fly balls
to center fielder Ryan Poff (York, Pa./Spring
Grove) later and the Spartans were out of the first
unscathed.
The Green and White touched up
Wolverine starter Mike Dombrosky for a pair in the second inning.
Shortstop Rob Klinck (Stanhope, N.J./Lenape Valley
Regional) led off the frame with a single through the
right side before CT Stanley (Timonium, Md./Calvert Hall
College) pushed Klinck over to second with a ground out.
Designated hitter Matt Austin (Shrewsbury,
Pa./Susquehannock) then singled to left putting runners on
the corners with only one out. Right fielder Joe Doyle
(Stewartstown, Pa./Red Lion) ripped a single just out of
the reach of second baseman Kevin Murphy to plate Klinck for the
game's opening score. With runners on first and second,
Meehan punched a single to load the bases for Matt Monti
(Easton, Pa./Easton). Monti registered a sacrifice fly to
left field to bring home Austin for York's second run of the
day as York led 2-0 after one and a half innings of play.
The Spartans compounded their total in
the third adding four more runs on a trio of hits. Following a
lead-off walk by Mike Connolly (Selden,
N.Y./Newfield), Poff crushed his team-leading 14th double
of the year down the left field line putting runners on second and
third. After a Dombrosky strikeout, Stanley notched a single to
plate Connolly and move Poff to third, giving the Spartans a 3-0
lead. Austin quickly increased the Spartan advantage with one swing
as he jacked an opposite field homer, his first of the season, to
bring the York lead to a substantial 6-0.
Those six tallies proved to be all
the Spartans would need as Rosenzweig only allowed two runs over
the next seven innings.
The Wolverines reached Rosenzweig
in the bottom of the fourth to cut the Spartan advantage to 6-1.
After Madden grounded out to begin Wesley's turn at-bat,
Murphy singled into right field. A balk forced Murphy to second
before he was pushed to third by a Grant Morlock line drive single
to center. Murphy came home one batter later on a Geoff Kimmel
sacrifice fly to deep center. That would be all the Wolverines
could manage in the frame as Rosenzweig closed out the inning with
a groundout.
The Spartans threatened in the top
of the seventh as Monti opened up the Spartans' half of the
seventh with a stroked double into left center. Wesley reliever
Matt Faulkner, who threw an excellent six innings of relief,
recorded a pair of strikeouts and a harmless groundout to end the
inning.
Wesley designated hitter Scott
Marshall led off the bottom of the seventh with a ripped ground
ball that handcuffed first baseman Stanley. Marshall was then moved
into scoring position courtesy of York's second balk of the
game. Rosenzweig looked as if he would get out of the inning
unscathed as he promptly recorded pair of punch-outs. However,
Wesley had different ideas as shortstop Greg McKee knocked a line
drive single just to the right of center, bringing home Marshall.
McKee's R.B.I. cut a little deeper into the Spartan lead as
the visitor's advantage stood at 6-2 at the end of seven.
The bottom of the ninth saw the
Wolverines' threaten, beginning with a single to center from
Kimmel. Marshall followed with a low screamer to third where Monti
made a fantastic snag off the dirt to begin what appeared to be a
5-4-3 double play. However, after the out at second, Marshall beat
out the throw to first. Bill Hogdgon then pulled a ground ball
double just inside third base to put Wolverine runners on second
and third with one out. Bryan Reshetar struck a low line-drive
right at Klinck who made the shoestring grab to record out number
two and keep the runners at bay. Rosenzweig then finished off the
game with a McKee fly ball to left that Connolly corralled for the
game's final out.
Austin led the way offensively with
three R.B.I.'s, each of which came on his three-run bomb in
the third, while he went 2-for-4 on the day. Monti also contributed
two hits and a run batted in while Klinck went 2-for-4. Rosenzweig
tossed a spectacular contest as he struck out seven while
scattering seven hits over his nine innings. The complete game ups
the sophomore's mark to a strong 5-1.
Madden was the only Wolverine to
record multiple hits as he went 2-for-4. The Spartans did an
excellent job of keeping the speedster off the bases as his two
hits were quickly erased by a caught stealing and a force out at
second. Billy Crowe went 1-for-3 but was robbed of a hit and an
R.B.I. by Doyle. With a runner on second and two outs, Crowe
launched a fly ball to deep right forcing Doyle back to the warning
track. The sophomore then made an outstanding catch up against the
right field fence to end the threat and the seventh. On the mound,
Dombrosky surrendered eight hits and six runs over three innings as
he takes the loss to drop to 2-4. Faulkner threw the final six
innings as he only allowed three Spartan hits and registered eight
strikeouts.
The Green and White return to
action tomorrow as they hit the road yet again for a Friday
double-header with CAC foe Stevenson. First pitch is slated for
3:30 pm.
GAME BOX
Andy Rosenzweig photo courtesy of Scott
Guise
